My bf got me addicted to Neil Gaimen. Very interesting fantasy/sci-fi stuff. Highly recommend American Gods, Star Dust, Good Omens (hilarious!), and Neverwhere. He wrote the popular comic book series Sandman as well.

Also, there is this author, Gregory Mcquire. He writes adult novels about kids books. He has one called "confessions of an ugly stepsister" which is and grown up novel about cinderella, but from the viewpoint of the stepsister.

I just read Wicked about a month ago and loved it! I asked Jim to get me the entire set for my birthday. We'll keep our fingers crossed. There's Wicked, Son of Witch, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Lost, and Mirror Mirror. I really hope he gets them for me. I think Gregory Maguire is wonderful. I love how he twists the typical childhood fairy tail into something that questions your morals and incorporates political views into the stories. I like how it gets you to think about things from a different point of view. Wicked was also made into a Broadway Musical. I have the music for it and it's great, but haven't seen the show yet.

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Stupid People Have Stupid Children, Hence All The Ignorance In The World!

We have them all, but I've only read confessions of an ugly stepsister so far, and I'm reading lost right now. It's ok so far. kinda weird. It's supposed to be based on Dickens and Scrooge, but I don't see it yet.

oh Raingirl, if you're just now getting into Neil's stuff, there's SUCH a world to explore! While it's now a movie, Mirrormask is unreal as a piece of fiction, and translated well to film. I get chills thinking of that man's brain and how I wish I could write one billionth as well (total fangirl!). I'm currently reading a murder mystery translated from swedish (makes the syntax and sentence structure...interesting) by Henning Mankell called One Step Behind. Because of the translation and the very different view point and writing style, I consider it non-mainstream. I did 2 grad seminars in Post Modern Lit, which is trying (books like The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Lover, and You Don't Love Yourself), but very satisfying if you're into lit like that. I'm so happy this forum now exists!

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"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you"
Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you really liked Good Omens (and I loved it!), try Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels-especially Wyrd Sisters and Mort. Also, somewhat more along the lines of Good Omens is Pratchett's Johnny and the Dead.

In the line of retelling of Faerie tales, Mercedes Lackey has redone several in a fantasy setting-The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty), The Black Swan (Swan Lake), and one that I think is called Firebird, from a Russian folktale. Easy reads, but enjoyable.

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The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe,
to match your nature with Nature.~Joseph Campbell~

I read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I liked it. Very interesting.

I just finished reading a book by a local author. I understand it's gaining momentum and people have compared it to The Secret Life of Bees. I didn't think it was anything like The Secret Life of Bees, so I think they're just referring to the way it's gaining popularity from the readers and not from advertising. It's called The Richest Season and it was pretty good and the author will travel to almost any book club to discuss it.

But I wouldn't call it eclectic though.

I like Esmerelda Santiago books. I think hers are more eclectic because they have more levels than most books I've read. I've read two--I think there are three. "When I was Puerto Rican" and "America's Dream" are both fantastic. The first is a memoir and the second is a novel.

Henning Mankell is awesome, The Newfoundland writer Wayne Johnston (Colony of Unrequited Dreams) is also brilliant, I don't know why he is so unknown (or seems to be). Because people see him as a regional writer? Big mistake.